Head To Head
by chichai
Summary: A charity tournament yet again seperates Ray from The Bladebreakers.  But this time his alliance with his old team is not going down too well with an old friend. [RARE MULTISHOT.  FUTURE CHAPTERS INC NEW MODEL OF BLADES AND SOME HARDCORE BLADING MATCHES]
1. Facing Anxiety

Hey this is a rare multi-shot from me. Hope u all like it!

Oh n just to save confusion (mine mostly!) the 1st bit of this chapter is happening on a Tuesday, mid afternoon (u'll no y I said that in a a bit!).

Also 4 those who don't know "itai yo" is "ow"…I think…

And you'll get wat the whole star thing means in the nxt chaptr incase ur thinkn "wat in the beejesus is she on about??".

_Italics_ – thoughts

_**Bold italic**_ - past

… … … - new scene

**Facing Anxiety**

"And that's all we have time for folks!" JD's animated voice resounded through the dojo walls as Kenny happily sat down after finally getting the radio frequency right. "Tune in on Thursday for the pre-battle commentary and the most anticipated match of the charity tournament; The White Tigers versus the Bladebreakers. It's gonna be the match of matches so don-" A slender finger swept across the tuner putting it onto a radio DJ that had more muscles than brain cells.

"Hey!!!!!" Kenny glared up at Hiromi who pulled off her shades looking down at him disgruntled. Takao stomped before storming across the dojo; why did she always have to have such a big thing against blading? And even if she did, did she really have to waste it for the people who dedicated the very air they breathed to it?

"D'you wanna put that back!" The champ snarled.

"Oh hush up!!!" Hiromi pushed him aside giving as good as got. Takao tutted loudly as she went down to the radio's level listening to the speakers intently as a drum fill ended a heavy metal rock track. Takao narrowed his eyebrows as he heard loud enthusiastic chatting.

"How did you get that???? That's not Japanese!" Takao pointed out making Hiromi sigh in annoyance as she stood back up clipping her sunglasses onto her pocket.

"Watch out Einstein (!) Takao can tell the difference between Chinese and Japanese! Finally!!!"

"Shut it you wit-" Takao and Hiromi squared up to each other as a familiar voice gave a short reply followed by yet another voice which gave a longer, high pitched reply.

"THAT'S RAY!!!" Takao and Kenny exclaimed simultaneously throwing themselves right down beside the speakers and knocking heads. Hiromi rolled her eyes.

"No I think you'll find that's Mariah. Ray went through a little thing called puberty where his voice broke." She smirked. "But then again when you've not been through it you wouldn't know." Takao swung his hand in the air dismissing her.

"I'll show you later." He joked making Kenny snigger while Hiromi's face crunched up with the hideous visions that now plagued her thanks to Takao. "Oh come on you know that's why you brought it up!" Takao turned to face her and winked after hearing her sigh of disgust which was followed by her echoing stomps out of the dojo.

"And so our leading team is carrying our country's name taking on the best Japan has to offer!! Any pre-match nerves captain?" Takao propped himself up on his elbows at the DJ's question and laughed as he heard Ray give a small throaty laugh after a murmur from Li who also gave a hearty laugh.

"Not this captain." Ray said confidently.

"So will we have a definite victory?" The DJ asked optimistically.

"Definitely!!" Kenny scrunched up his eyes as the sound of Mariah's preppy voice scrapped through his eardrums.

"No." Ray spoke up, "Not definitely. The Bladebreakers have serious talent. They will be a challenge."

"Damn right!!!" Takao piped up knocking his fists on the floorboards and cheering. Kenny chuckled at his friend's excitement before returning his attention to the radio were the hushed introduction of a bass slowly made its way to the forefront of the talk.

"Stay tuned for more from the White Tigers but fir-"

"GOTCHA!!!!" Hiro jumped down on Takao's back pulling his arms back and up over his head. Takao grunted before kicking his feet about.

"ITAI YO!!!" Hiro laughed as his wee brother squirmed about knocking the radio down. Kenny narrowed his eyebrows as the batteries fell out along with part of the back cover; that was the third digital radio Takao had broken this week!! Kenny watched Takao's face go red as he tried not to vocally express his pain while Hiro wisely watched with amusement and carefully controlled the amount of pain he was playfully giving his little brother.

"Give up?" Hiro grinned as he continued to watch over Takao's face which went rigid as he tried to act like he couldn't even feel his shoulders being pulled out of their sockets. Hiro gave a small whistle as he vigilantly hiked the pain up to the next level and felt Takao's pretences cave in.

"FUCK!!! YOU'RE KILLING ME!!!" Hiro laughed letting go of Takao and watching him collapse down on the floor. "Prick." Takao mumbled sitting up on his knees and rubbing his shoulder blades that stung with the memory of Hiro's short yet excruciating ambush.

"Love you too." Hiro waved laying down the bait which Takao subconsciously bounded for as he sprinted after Hiro who tore his way out of the dojo.

… … …

Ray looked up out of his daze as the rain demanded his attention by beating ferociously off of the window pane. The sky was broken into patches of navy blue and black thanks to the razor edges of the wind that ran through the essence that held one of the last strongholds of nature together. Fate scribbled soft strokes of golden thunder through the darkness ripping the electricity pylons apart and plunging The White Tiger Hills into a vast darkness. Ray sighed looking blindly at the ground with the silent wish that the storm would subside in time for the flight to Japan in eight hours.

"Ray?" A soft voice followed a small creak as his bedroom door snuck open. "Ray? You here?"

"What's wrong?" He asked getting to his feet and shuffling towards the direction his little sister's voice had come from.

"Nothing…" She lied clutching onto the door handle and easing her hand forward to feel the silent approach of her brother. "Can I stay with you?" Rina murmured edging into the room and letting the door close behind her. Ray smiled staying still as he heard her slippers drag closer and closer to him.

"Sure." He felt her hand hit against his stomach as a violent white flash smashed through the calm golden streaks illuminating the whole room. Rina gulped grabbing onto Ray and screwing her eyes shut to return to a darkness that imitated the last startling fragments of light that stabbed through her eyes. "It's pretty bad isn't it?" Ray comforted her putting his arm around her shoulders feeling her grip loosen as he turned to look over at the window hoping to see something other than the cascading sludge of early night; but the jet black drapes of the storm had already fastened every colour out of sight from his eyes.

"Do storms like this last long?" Rina stepped away slightly feeling foolish for jumping at a little crack of white. "…Mum's gotta come home in that." Ray stayed silent at the last remark before sighing.

"I doubt mum'd try drive home in this. Don't worry; mum's stubborn, not stupid." His hand swooped out to pinch her nose but caught her eye instead.

"RAY!!!" She yelled whipping her fist out into an empty space of air as Ray laughed apologetically.

"Sorry I never meant to hit your eye, I was after your nose."

"Yeah (!) Just like when you never meant to put me up on the roof of the house and tell me I could fly?" Ray smirked at the memory of his then six year old sister flapping her arms ready to take off until his mum screamed at them both to get down. "I'll never forgive you for that!!" Rina stomped her foot down intending to hit the ground but finding it land in something sticky and moist. "What in the hell??"

"Ah! So that's where Takao's bowl of noodles went." Ray bent down and after a quick fumble he whisked the month old noodles up. "Nice one Rina!" He said striding into the wall and dropping the noodles down his front as he tried to find his way out of the room. Rina laughed as the bang decorated various images in her head. "At least I'm not afraid of a little thunder storm." Ray snapped getting out of the room.

"It's quiet a big thunder storm I'll have you know!!!" Rina argued with the vacant room before hearing the door shut behind Ray. "…Ray?" She stayed perfectly still trying not to breathe in case Ray planned to sneak up on her. "Ray-" Another flaming white flash scratched itself upon the darkness making Ray's amber eyes light up in the kitchen along with his smirk as he listened to his little sister squeal and scamper out of his room in a panic.

… … …

As the time to depart for Japan approached the aftermath of the storm slipped its way through the air leaking desolation and abandonment into everything Ray had ever known. He stared into the distance a little bit longer taking in the way the river cried as it crawled around the smooth meander which led it from its hiding place and out into the huge unprotected path ahead. Anxiety burned through his stomach as his nose itched at his water filled eyes as whispers echoed with a reel of moving pictures in his mind.

"_**Leaving again?"**_

"_**I'll be back." He assured her. "This is just something that needs looking after." Ray stood in front of her smiling.**_

"_**And what about you're team?" She asked hurt. "Don't we deserve to be looked after by you?" Ray laughed accidentally upsetting her. "Thanks. I'm glad you find leaving someone that loves you so amusing…"**_

"_**No wait…"**_

He took in a deep breath as a tear traced over his cheek as he recalled the pain upon her face and the new tears that shamed her proud nature. Ray cleared his throat giving a small grin while taking the back of his hand across his cheek at the sound of a clumsy footstep crunching the gravel beneath its weight.

"You never could sneak up on me could you?" He turned around to see his White Tiger team mate Lee.

"That's only because I let you recognize I'm here." Ray gave a nod as his lips formed a weaker smile at Lee's friendly boasting. Lee walked to the side of the river and looked in the direction Ray had been a few moments ago. "You know better than I do." He looked the few inches at his friend. "Drifting away from something old doesn't necessarily mean losing it. It's always part of you." Ray sighed looking down at the loose soil that lay on the bank and started to pat it down into the ground with his foot. Lee watched him force it back to where the returning White Tiger thought it belonged; but it wouldn't work. "You don't really know what to do, do you?" Ray stopped and looked at Lee who was now gazing up at the sky taking a particular interest in the glittering diamonds that finally appeared amongst the dark velvet of the sky. "Why don't stars come out in the morning?" He asked.

"They do, it's just because during the morning it's bright so they blend. But at night it's dark so you can see them." Ray shot the answer out before he thought about the person asking him the question. "...Why are you asking a question you already know the answer to?" Lee smirked and walked away from him.

"I could ask you the very same question."


	2. Egos Collide

Yeah I no I'm bak. Realised how much it ment 2 othrs so I hope this is gd enuf 4 em.

Mariam this1s 4 u.

hpandbb4ever –smile- ur the klst readr ever! I'm luky 2 have u, cant believe my storys ment so much2u. Cant w8 2 c sum of ur nxt pieces n give u the same support uv given me.

ShadowYin-Yang thanx 4..well u no, putn up wif me.

-laf- oh n yeah there is Kai in this chaptr u guys, he wil b in it more l8r on. Ah n furthr if ur gona start wondrn who Kari is iv xplaind it in pm's n stuf n I cant b bothrd xplainin it again so jst accept that shes here ok?

N on more serious note slight racism in this chaptr so if ur gona freak about it don't say I didn't warn u. K?

_Italics_ - thoughts

… … … - new scene

**Egos Collide**

A loud grunt resonated through the gang of Japanese youths as The White Tigers made their way past them. Mariah felt herself close over as Ray and Lee ushered her into the centre of them, Kevin and Gary as the gang began to jeer and taunt at them. Kevin clenched his fist angrily biting down on his lip as his hot headed personality began to erase the small portion of his personality that held his self control. Ray cleared his throat signaling for Kevin to calm down as they turned the corner hearing the jeers settle and eventually become engulfed by malice filled sniggers at the cheap thrill they received from belittling strangers.

"We shoulda creamed em!" Kevin muttered angrily kicking a loose bit of gravel across the street.

"If anything we should pity them. They don't have a clue."

"About what?" Gary stopped in his tracks and looked over at Ray who seemed very aware of a situation he had no clue about.

"Didn't you hear them?" Ray asked crossing his arms while Lee crinkled his forehead finding it hard to believe that Gary was dense enough to actually not pick up on what the racist idiots had been saying.

"Ah!!" Lee smiled softly as the pieces of the puzzle quickly fell into place. "He doesn't speak Japanese."

"You don't?" Ray asked surprised. "But you were learning when I-"

"He sucked at it." Kevin concluded happily giving Gary a hearty pat on the arm which was not at all appreciated. Mariah tried not to laugh as Gary turned and towered over Kevin threateningly before reciprocating the pat on the arm which made him fly across the street. Lee doubled over laughing and praised Gary.

"Good one big man!" Ray shook his head smiling as he quickly jogged to Kevin's side and helped him up.

"I'll show you a good one!!" Kevin shouted launching himself through the air and right onto Lee who tumbled backwards into a nearby wall. Lee growled knocking Kevin to the ground as Mariah stepped in between them both.

"Guys stop it!!"

"What? We're just playing!" Lee and Kevin informed her before instantly commencing round two and tumbling out of sight into a nearby side street. Mariah sighed shaking her head.

"I will never understand you men." She remarked leaning against the wall as Ray and Gary laughed at the scuffling and muffled swearing coming from the side street where Lee was evidently kicking Kevin's ass. Ray's smile waned slightly as he noticed his shadow take a stretch across the wall.

"Mariah?" He began wearily. "What time is it?"

"Ummm." Mariah pulled her wrist up and let her tiger eyes glance at her watch. "Quarter past nine. Why?"

"Oh no!!" Ray smacked his hand against his forehead. "We'll never get back in time!! This is all Takao's fault!! Him and his fifth pizza!!!"

"You know for a little dude he sure can pack it away!!" Gary thought aloud with great admiration. Ray shook his head smiling at the simplicity of his teammate's comment before making his way over to the side street's entrance.

"Yo Lee!! Kevin!! Get outta there! We gotta get better or the sensei's gonna have our heads!!"

"You mean **you're** head!" Mariah corrected Ray who became stuffy and sweaty beneath the collar at the thought of facing his sensei alone.

_Yikes! _Ray thought swooping into the alleyway to pull the two young cubs off of each other and get them home before he was really in for it. Gary rubbed his hands together as the night's chill slowly made its presence known to him.

"You cold Gar?" Mariah asked. He opened his mouth to answer before a massive snarl from the team captain grabbed both his and Mariah's attention.

"KEVIN!!!!!!"

"Ooo!" Mariah's eyes widened as the echo of Ray's anger stained itself upon the walls. Gary sighed rubbing the back of his head as he joined his three quarreling teammates. "HEY!! Wait!!" Mariah yelled running after him.

… … …

"Get ready for it." The shadow whispered to his many companions as they stalked their prey who had finally gotten some sort of order amongst themselves. "On my signal." The executioner smirked closing one of his eyes as he raised his launcher waiting for the perfect moment to go in for the kill.

"I could beat you any time anywhere!!" Lee set himself in front of Ray while making the friendly challenge as he inadvertently set himself in the line of fire. Ray laughed dismissively.

"Yeah in you're dreams maybe!" Ray ruffled up Lee's hair laughing cheerfully now that he had forgotten his anger at Kevin. Lee groaned with irritation shifting to his left.

_Perfect!_ His attacker grinned grabbing a hold of his rip cord and unleashing a fierce and powerful launch.

"GET DOWN!!!" Ray yelled pushing Lee to the ground as his eyes caught the dark object darting towards them.

_Argh!! _Ray grabbed hold of his left tricep as a potent metal venom slash brought smooth blood dribbling over his skin. Lee pivoted round to catch a vicious blow to the face which was then lost as a one sided crusade broke out against The White Tigers who fell helplessly to the ground. Mariah's eyes watered in terror as a swarm of attackers descended upon her.

"RAAY!!" She fell to the ground curling up on the ground as she felt brutal blows connect with her face. "LEE!!" Tears trickled down her face as the attackers laughed and mocked her. Ray let out a growl throwing himself over Mariah whose face had slowly become swollen from the merciless kicks from the unknown attackers.

"You're ok." He comforted her quietly before gasping as he felt the back of his skull crunch as a heavy object smashed down upon him. Mariah gave a small cry gripping onto his top in a guilt ridden fear that her friend would be seriously hurt because he was defending her.

"Serves you Chinese bastards right!!!" A masculine voice called out from near Gary who had finally been knocked down to his knees after knocking five of the guys out.

_Lee…Kevin_. Ray's thoughts turned to his friends as he scrunched his eyes tightly shut finding no way out as the cascade of attacks continued to fall upon his back. A loud piercing whistle scratched through the harassed air making Ray's eyes snap open as he heard a stampede of feet slowly echoing out of the alley along with panic filled orders from the group leader.

_Always on time! _Ray's face glowed as he smirked hearing the unmistakable zing of an attack ring colliding with another and the strong steady speed of gears diving in and out of hearing range.

"Kai?" He called out as the pressure of his attackers faded away to focus their ambush on the new presence that had ruined their one sided bloodbath. Ray's amber eyes rose up as he got to his feet leaving Mariah's raw wounds to be soothed by the small breeze now that she wasn't in any immediate harm. A tall shadow at the end of the alley stood strong and lonesome with a single blade against what Ray quickly calculated to be thirteen figures each with thirteen blades. Ray strained his eyes to get a proper look at the person, it wasn't Kai. It was a girl. "KARI!!" Ray's pupils dilated as he watched the figures surround her and another brawl break out. He leaped to his feet only to be brought back to the ground with a thud and an immense pain as his knee cap snapped. "ARGH!!!" He cried ferociously getting his wounded but standing team mates attention.

"Ray!" Lee touched his team mates shoulder only to have it smacked away.

"HELP HER!!!" Ray hollered loudly over the thudding of landing blows and the screeching of the blades as their gears went into full throttle. Lee nodded and sprinted into the chaos along with Kevin and Gary who readied their blades for an intense battle. Mariah squealed as an unexpected flash forced everyone from their feet and sent them soaring back with momentary blindness. Ray's senses gathered once again as Lee grunted holding his head as he pulled himself up from the ground. An eerie silence stung the captain's amber eyes as he stared up at the slowly surfacing stars in the black ocean that hung in the sky. The silence soon dissolved into the air along with the wisps of smoke from the riddled events as Kevin, Mariah and Gary joined Lee's exhausted movements to get up and see what had happened.

"What the…?" Mariah's eyes widened. The whole side street had been ripped apart and the attackers lay strewn and unconscious on the street inches away from them.

"Are they dead???" Kevin asked horrified. Ray sat up looking around in disbelief and then smiled as the redeemer of the moment stepped towards him…

… … …

Kai studied the cuts upon his hands feeling the morning's training session lash through the tendons in his forearms before gruffly shoving his gloves on so the outside world would once again be blind to any wound inflicted upon his human flesh. The tv before him sat black and vacant after he had pulled the plug out after watching JD's interview with The White Tigers. The hype was definitely growing, but Kai could feel it growing for all the wrong reasons. He shook his head getting to his feet as he patted his pocket to ensure Dranzer was nestled neatly at his side.

"Mariam?" Kai yelled through the empty house pulling his jacket on as he waited for an answer. "Mariam?" He called again making his way out of the room and into the next where she had been staying for the past few days. The neatly made bed and fresh surroundings made Kai's brow furrow; she had definitely been here a few hours ago. He saw her with his own eyes. "Mariam???" He called again striding into the hallway and hearing the tinge of panic in his voice as he remembered how awkward Mariam's behavior had gotten after Ray's decision to blade with The White Tigers once again.

…_.Where is she?_

… … …

Ray winced as Lee and Gary acted as his crutches holding him up as his left leg whimpered in pain. Mariah bit the inside of her cheek as she watched Ray smile at Mariam; she always did have a knack of saving him just at the moment he really needed her.

"Thanks." Ray said eventually breaking the silence. Mariam looked at him with a stern face before turning and walking down the decimated side street. Mariah clenched her fists.

"Don't you have manners???" Mariam stopped raising her eyebrow while continuing to keep her back to The White Tigers.

"Unless you want you're face swollen anymore I suggest you keep out of business that doesn't concern you." Mariam stipulated making Mariah's fiery temper get the better of her.

"Then you should have kept yours out of ours!!!" Mariam laughed at Mariah's foolish answer.

"As I said, keep your mouth shut when it comes to business between me and Ray."

"Mariam-" Ray pulled his arms away from Lee and Gary's necks and stumbled straight down to the ground. Mariah gasped as Mariam's reflexes launched into action and she caught him just before his face hit the ground. Ray laughed softly and whispered. "You have to stop saving me."

"It's not you I'm saving. It's our match." Mariam spoke harshly as Ray sat himself down on the ground. Ray stared up at The Blade Breaker who stood mercilessly against him. Mariah strode over to Mariam attempting to whip her around but failing miserably as Mariam strength exceeded hers. "You just don't know when to quit do you?" Mariam laughed.

"Yeah I do!!" Mariah whisked Galux from her pocket. "When I beat some respect into you!!"

"STOP!!" Ray shouted as Mariam grabbed Mariah by the top putting the fear of God into her with the powerful grip she possessed and the pure hatred that burned in her eyes.

"If you go looking for respect." Mariam let the trembling pink haired blader go. "Chances are you won't get it." Mariam looked down at Ray with a small sense of sadness and sighed angrily. "You don't deserve my respect!" Ray glared at Mariam tensing the muscles in his arms and jaw.

"Maybe if you'd listen you'd find the respect for my decision!!!"

"There's no respect in leaving your team for your own goals, AGAIN!!"

"WHAT????" Ray roared making Mariah step back to Lee's side for protection even though Ray couldn't actually do anything because of his wounded knee.

"You heard me." Mariam said calmly staring at Ray in defiance. Lee cleared his throat after a few hostile moments passed and indicted to Gary, Kevin and Mariah to go to the end of the street to leave the unreceptive rivals to it.

"You really want to know why I went???"

"No!! I don't want to hear anything you say anymore!!" Mariam dismissed him feeling her head ache as she reached the end of her tether and felt her stomach tie into knot after knot as the acknowledgment of needing to escape grew inside of her.

"WELL TOO BAD!!! I LEFT TO GET AWAY FROM EVERY STRENGTH I HAD!!! AND THAT INCLUDES YOU!!!" Ray narrowed his eyebrows watching Mariam walk off and desperately continued to yell after her. "I HAVE TO BEAT HIM ALONE!! I CAN'T DO IT WITH YOU'RE STRENGTH!!! OR THE TEAM'S!!" Mariam stopped about to open her mouth and answer him back but found her words lose their way into her thoughts.

…_Tomorrow…we'll see if it was all worth it…_ She looked up at the dark sky angrily before walking out of her opponents' sight and back into the shadows she had emerged from.


End file.
